York City's survival could be safeguarded by teaming up with York Wasps.

The rugby league club's vice-chairman Russell Greenfield told the Evening Press that he believed a sporting merger between the two clubs would enable both to prosper.

Greenfield's conviction is based on a radical share-holding option for Bootham Crescent Holdings - the company that owns York City's Bootham Crescent stadium.

Currently York City FC is up for sale, though would-be buyers are open to make a bid for the entire operation including BCH, which is effectively the landlord of the football club.

He proposed that BCH should widen its share issue to invite a major injection of cash, which would then allow City to continue at Bootham Crescent. That cash would also help to upgrade the rugby club's base at Huntington Stadium to Football League standards.

After two or three years City would then sell Bootham Crescent and move to Huntington Stadium, which is owned by the City of York Council. While cash raised from the sale of the Crescent would fund the development of both clubs, the sharing of the one arena would also trim running costs, added Greenfield.

"We would be willing to negotiate (with York City) and do a deal for the survival of both clubs, because we are both in the same position," said the Wasps' director.

"If we can work together, then, yes - we should be sharing the ground by all means."

Greenfield said the driving force behind a 'sporting merger' as he called it, would be open up the share-holding in BCH.

Currently the company, whose assets include City's training-ground, a property in which trainees are housed, and land near the Bumper Castle pub on Wigginton Road, as well as Bootham Crescent, boasts just under 190,000 shares.

Football club chairman Douglas Craig (123,666 shares), directors John Quickfall (21,588), Barry Swallow (21,588) and Colin Webb (21,588) hold 94 per cent of the total share-holding.

Declared Greenfield: "BCH should open their shares up.

"Let people buy shares. For argument's sake, say, someone could put £3million in and then be one of the major share-holders. But the money would not then go to any existing directors, but would go directly into the club.

"Let York City retain Bootham Crescent for two or three years and use some of the money to do Huntington Stadium up to Football league Third or Second Division standard.

"You could then sell Bootham Crescent and the money would then develop football and rugby at Huntington Stadium."

He added: "I have always wanted the two clubs together. It would be a major step, but I am sure we could work together."

Updated: 11:49 Wednesday, January 09, 2002